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According to notices on Apple's developer site, Apple has just issued a Golden Master build of OS X 10.9 to all registered developers today. Like the "release to manufacturing" builds in the Windows world, a GM build is usually the last stop on the way to public release. Apple has also issued a GM build of Xcode 5.0.1, which is necessary for building OS X 10.9 apps that will be submitted to the Mac App Store—Xcode 5.0 was released in September with iOS 7.

OS X 10.9 (also known as Mavericks) was announced alongside iOS 7 at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, and while it isn't the complete overhaul that iOS 7 is, it ushers in many improvements targeted specifically at power users. Among these features is a new tabbed version of the Finder that makes it easier to organize files and changes that make multiple-monitor setups more useful. New under-the-hood additions like compressed memory, timer coalescing, and "App Nap" should also reduce resource usage while increasing battery life.

Apple still hasn't announced pricing or availability details for Mavericks beyond the vague "this fall" promise it made at WWDC, but we'd expect the company to release the software before the end of October. The rumor mill expects Apple to hold an event in the middle of the month to announce refreshed iPads, and a Mavericks announcement would pair nicely with some new Haswell-equipped Retina MacBook Pros or perhaps the redesigned Mac Pro. Apple could also do what it did with Lion and Mountain Lion and announce Mavericks during its Q4 2013 earnings call, which ought to happen at some point before the end of October.

As we've previously reported, Mavericks is compatible with any Mac that can currently run OS X 10.8. We'll be publishing our usual in-depth reviews of both OS X 10.9 and its accompanying OS X Server update after Apple releases the software to the public.

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Andrew Cunningham
Andrew wrote and edited tech news and reviews at Ars Technica from 2012 to 2017, where he still occasionally freelances; he is currently a lead editor at Wirecutter. He also records a weekly book podcast called Overdue. Twitter@AndrewWrites

Apple is reportedly targeting a late October launch for Mavericks, with the company starting to train AppleCare staff on the upcoming operating system this week. Sources have indicated that training must be completed by October 11.

You folks are gonna dig on a tabbed folder-manager, like everyone using linux has been doing for several years now. That, plus being able to right-click to open a terminal window that opens to the current location really saves a lot of time, while providing more clarity.

You folks are gonna dig on a tabbed folder-manager, like everyone using linux has been doing for several years now. That, plus being able to right-click to open a terminal window that opens to the current location really saves a lot of time, while providing more clarity.

Legend has it that "FTFF" was first written by a member of Ars' forums. For a long time there was despair and severe gnashing of the teeth because no fucks seemed to be given from Cupertino to FTFF, but a glimmer of hope was born in 10.6 by the Cocoa rewrite, in 10.7 further good developments happened. However, by the time 10.8 came to be no significant improvements were found and yet again hope was lost.

Now Apple seems to again de-upfuck the Finder we can all rejoice and hope that uncle Phil Schiller brings us a pony xMac for christmas.

A few years ago I bought the TotalFinder app that gives a tabbed Finder, and I could not live without it anymore. If you're not planning on upgrading to OS X 10.9 but want to use a tabbed Finder, check it out. It is very stable and hasn't caused me any trouble.

The same company also sells TotalSpaces (and I think TotalTerminal), which are also great. TS essentially brings back spaces, with extra options. Like TF, it is stable and works well (I never understood why Apple moved from a 2D desktop selector to a 1D selector; not being able to choose a prime number of desktops?). TT gives a lot of customisation options for the terminal that power users may find useful.

Tabbed finder - Meh, haven't used that beyond very limited testing it works. The real reason to upgrade to Mavericks is multi-monitor support in full screen now works - even better than Spaces did. The previews have changed my use of dual / triple screen OSX.

One other benefit is you can no longer DoS a Mac exchange user's calendar by sending them an appointment from Outlook 2013 labelled "Working Elsewhere" as Calendar now understands & ignores the new status instead of throwing a fit and dying with no explanation. Try it for yourself. Fun and games working that one out, believe me.

You folks are gonna dig on a tabbed folder-manager, like everyone using linux has been doing for several years now. That, plus being able to right-click to open a terminal window that opens to the current location really saves a lot of time, while providing more clarity.

But one window feature thats been linux for ages in the ability to have any permanently on top of any other just right clicking any window bar.

I wonder what Mavericks is going to do to battery-life on laptops. MacBook air can get 12 hours with Mountain Lion. With Mavericks it can get.... How much?

12.2 if done right. If not 11.

There is nothing special in 10.9 that will increase battery life significantly.

That isn't really correct - App Nap works, and now Safari disables background plugins for non visible tabs. So there is some battery increase. I only have my own experience to go on but it *seems* I could use the DP's for longer on my 2012 MBP without needing to charge.

Tabbed finder - Meh, haven't used that beyond very limited testing it works. The real reason to upgrade to Mavericks is multi-monitor support in full screen now works - even better than Spaces did. The previews have changed my use of dual / triple screen OSX.

It's a very good reason all right, I miss the time back when I could have a video reading full screen on the right, and my work going on the other screen on the left. If only an OS upgrade wasn't necessary to get back a feature we had before.

This being said, a tabbed file manager is very handy, once you get the hang of it. I used to rely on it, when I was working on Linux with a KDE desktop (from the early betas up to 3.5, and then I switched to OS X). Losing it wasn't the end of the world, but having it back will be very nice indeed.

For example, I often have two or three independent tasks going on on my main screen. Having the associated Finder windows merged into one will simplify my workflow very nicely.

Full screen mode is finally usable with two monitors. I dig each desktop being it's own space. Swiping between VMs is pretty hip. We've come a long way since I saved for that 80286 my dad was convinced would be completely useless for me. Why would a kid need a computer anyway?

The compressed memory feature works surprisingly well, at least for more "memory constrained" systems like my 4GB MBA (remember when 4 GB was absurdly large, and OSes generally couldn't use all of it? ). It largely eliminated swap usage.

Another very nice improvement is the new Safari, which doesn't have the Firefox 3.0-level of memory leak (25+ gigs of memory usage!).

The compressed memory feature works surprisingly well, at least for more "memory constrained" systems like my 4GB MBA (remember when 4 GB was absurdly large, and OSes generally couldn't use all of it? ). It largely eliminated swap usage.

Another very nice improvement is the new Safari, which doesn't have the Firefox 3.0-level of memory leak (25+ gigs of memory usage!).

That's one of the things I'm looking fprward to. My 2007 MBP has 4GB of RAM, and it's getting sluggish. Well, I guess I could install 2+4GB of RAM to help out. But I'm hoping that Mavericks will prolong the life of my computer a bit.

I'm looking forward to the Siracusa review. I guess I want the review more than the release itself?!

Unlike iOS7, OSX 10.9 is a pretty decent upgrade. It hasn't been completely flattened and visually neutered like iOS7. But expect the usual "200 new features" to be like maybe 10 really good ones and the rest is just mainly old ideas in new clothes or minor touches. Still, I like it. No complains. Also, ARD gained some new features and seems to be more stable a noticeably quicker.

So...if I'm still on 10.6.8, is it going to cost me $90 to upgrade to 10.9? And do I have to install all the intervening OSes to get to 10.9? My memory is that was true previously, that you couldn't go directly from 10.6 to 10.8.

So...if I'm still on 10.6.8, is it going to cost me $90 to upgrade to 10.9? And do I have to install all the intervening OSes to get to 10.9? My memory is that was true previously, that you couldn't go directly from 10.6 to 10.8.

I went straight from 10.6 to 10.8 for $19.99; the same cost as someone upgrading from 10.7. I skipped the $29.99 fee for 10.7. The differential upgrade pricing to which you refer was only true of CD/DVD upgrades e.g. 10.4 to 10.6 (and even then, it was a licencing requirement and not enforced by any technical means).

AFAIK, the Mac App Store (via which 10.9 will be delivered) does not and has not enforced any kind of differences based on current operating system.